For the love of Jade
by cherri0196
Summary: I'm never good with summary's. Tony get's Ziva a gift she'll never forget. TIVA Fluff, but not too over the top.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: In Enemies Foreign (I think) Ziva mentions she likes cats. Tony gets her one.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

For the love of Jade

Anthony DiNozzo was extremely nervous.

He has been dating his partner now for years, the one woman on this planet he truly trusts with his life.

She was by his side in every sense of the phrase.

It took a full year to tell her that he loved her. He of course has for as long as he can remember, but to actually utter the terrifying words aloud to her. That took time.

She understood that.

It took another full year to ask her to move in with him. After all, they were practically living together anyway. With the sleepovers, and move nights.

Now, almost 2 years after she first set her box marked "Ziva's stuff" in my living room, I'm actually considering doing the one thing I thought I would never do.

It's nauseating, and terrifying, and absolutely crazy.

But fool's in love do crazy things.

After all we have been together officially for nearly 4 years, and partners for nearly 6 years on top of that.

I know this woman like the back of my hand and I love her.

So here I am, at the pet store, trying to pick out the perfect feline friend for my little hell cat.

I scan down rows and rows of kittens, and full grown cats. All sorts of shapes, sizes and colors.

Short hair, long hair, orange, white, black, grey, Siamese, squished faced ones, skinny ones, fat ones.

Then I see it, nestled in the corner, and just like I knew when I first met Ziva, I know this was the one.

I walk in the door of our apartment an hour later. Ziva's sitting on the couch with her bare feet tucked under her, reading a book. She's using the arm of the couch to help support the book.

I don't know how she can still look so beautiful on a lazy Saturday afternoon, with her hair pulled up into a messy pony tail in just jean shorts and a fitted tee-shirt but she does.

I smile and take a deep breath, gathering all my courage at the door.

I'm gut wrenched, and my hands are slightly sweaty but I keep my secret palmed behind my back.

"_Just act normal, it's going to be okay_" I try to tell myself.

"Hey, sweet cheeks. Whatcha reading?" I try to start out making my way closer to her.

"I just started a little book called 'Crime and Punishment', no big deal." She replies.

"Believe me, Crime and Punishment is no little book." I retort leaning down and giving her a quick peck on the lips.

"Hey, I got something for you. A little surprise if you will."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" She asks flopping the book upside down on the arm of the couch to hold her spot.

I kneel on both knees in front of her and present her with the fluffiest little white kitten, with shocking green eyes, adorned with a pink bow on her head and a pink studded collar around her neck.

"It's a girl" I announce, putting on my most charming smile, as I hand over the little white kitten to her.

I try to control my breathing as I feel my heart thud wildly against my chest.

"_Breathe DiNozzo. In and out. In and Out. It's going to fine."_ I try unsuccessfully to calm myself.

"Oh Tony! She is so cute! What is her name?" She asks holding the little fluffy ball at arms length.

The kitten tries unsuccessfully to bat her little paws at Ziva.

I take a deep breath. "Read her collar, sweet cheeks" I reply.

I hold my breath as I watch her scan the collar before she snaps her head up and lock her deep brown eyes on me.

I expel the breath I've been holding and repeat the inscription on the collar of the fluffy white kitten. "Ziva David, will you marry us?"

Dead Silence.

I'm trying desperately not to have a panic attack.

"_Deflection time! Abort! Abort! Think of something! What do you say at a time like this? Just kidding?"_

I see her jaw clench and her nostrils flare as she draws in a breath, before she merely nods her head in agreement.

My heart jumps to my throat as a smile spreads across my face.

I take the kitten from Ziva and remove the golden, diamond studded ring from her collar and slip it on Ziva's left ring finger.

I put the fluff ball on the couch and pull Ziva into my arms.

I cup my hands on either side of her face before pulled her lips to mine.

She kisses me with a passion I have never experienced from her before, I hear her whispering "yes" each time we come up for air.

I feel like my heart will beat itself right out of my mouth. The hard parts over, yet I still can't get my heartbeat to regulate.

I pull back and press my lips to her forehead.

"You still have to name that little runt, my lovely Fiancé." I mock bow to her.

"I think I will have a wonderful life with my little hairy but and… " She puts her hand to her chin in pondering. "Jade" She smiles.

"Jade?" I ask.

"Jade. Just look at her eyes! They remind me of the color Jade."

I smile down at her "Jade it is" I reply. Not being able to resist, I pull her into my arms again and kiss her temple.

"I think the three of us will have a wonderful life too, my ninja."

She stands on her tip toes, putting her lips to my ear before whispering "four" to me.

I feel all the blood drain from my face.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you for the reviews. By popular demand, I am continuing the story of little Jade and TIVA!

"Wha, Whadya mean, four?" I must clarify.

_She can't be saying what I think she's saying._

"I mean," She points her index finger to my chest "one."

"Two" She points to Jade.

"Three" She turns her finger towards her own chest

"Four" She puts her index finger to her belly.

I put my hands to my knees and breathe deeply, trying not to hyperventilate.

"Tony? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I pant. "I'm fine. Just. A lot to take in, in one day."

I suck in a breath and straighten myself up.

"When did you find out?"

"Umm… a couple of days ago."

"…and you planned on telling me… when?"

"When I go to the doctor next week to make sure everything is fine."

"And what? You didn't want me going with you?"

"Of course I want you to go with me, I just didn't want to worry you for nothing. But, you took me by surprise with such a wonderful gift. I wanted to give you something too."

"You don't have to do everything on your own you know?" I pull her into my embrace again.

I can only feel her nod against my chest.

No words are uttered; we just stand there, her arms wrapped around my waist, and me with one arm around her shoulders while my free hand strokes her hair.

_WHAT THE HELL? How did this happen? We just got engaged like two seconds ago. I'm not ready for a child; I have no clue what to do with a baby. What are we going to do? Do I need to get a bigger place? Do I need to get married sooner than I thought? Would it be wrong to get married after the baby is born? Do I even want a baby? Am I going to be a good dad, or am I doomed to just continue the shitty dad cycle? Now everyone's going to think we are only getting married because of the baby. _

Millions of questions just race themselves around and around in my head.

My heart is beating worse than it was when I asked her to marry me. I can feel it galloping in my chest, trying to escape my body, like it knows just how doomed I'm going to be.

_Damn it DiNozzo, quit being a selfish ass. What's done is done, be a man. _

I pull Ziva back and ask "How are you feeling? Do you need anything?"

She just smiles her million dollar smile at me and replies "I have been feeling okay so far, and no, I don't need anything. Except maybe to sit, you are right; this is a lot to take in in one day."

She expels a breath and sits back on the couch.

Jade immediately crawls into her lap and lets out the tinest little "meow" I have ever heard. Ziva merely smiles down at her and absentmindedly strokes the tiny kitten behind her ears, the little kitten curls up into a ball in response.

I huff out a breath and sit down next to Ziva.

I can't stop myself from asking "What are we going to do Ziva? I don't know the first thing about babies."

She simply smiles and says "Yeah, neither do I, but we'll figure it out, together. I'm not actually reading Crime and Punishment; I'm reading a book on pregnancy and newborn care. See? I just switched the covers."

She slips the dust cover of Crime and Punishment off the book to revel something called "Great Expectations".

"You are upset, yes?"

"No. No, of course I'm not upset. Just taken by surprise, I'm sorry if I'm not handling this well."

"Don't worry about it, it does take time to sink in. I panicked at first too, but now I am happy about it." She reached out and squeezed my hand. "It's going to be okay." She tries reassuring me.

She gives my hand one final squeeze before turning back to her book while slowly stroking Jade's sleeping form curled in her lap.

Unfortunately, I wasn't like Ziva. It didn't take me a couple days to truly appreciate the life beating within her body.

In fact it's been months and many ah doctor appointments since I learned the news that I was going to be a father.

I've wrapped my head around the fact, sure. I'm generally happy about it. I've read the books, but it doesn't make me any less terrified.

Jade isn't the little fluff ball anymore, in fact her white fur has lain down so she looks less puffy and more like a long haired cat. She's a playful little thing with tons of spunk. She reminds me a lot of Ziva; so stubborn when she wants to be, but really loving and playful. She is certainly spoiled, mostly by Ziva, but I've been known to sneak her extra cat nip and rub her tummy every now and then.

Ziva's belly and getting bigger and rounder every week, she's nearly26 weeks now. We can find out the sex anytime, but we have decided to wait until D-Day.

I think it's a girl, but I keep that little tid bit to myself.

We sit on the couch on a Sunday after a particularly hard week. We literally haven't gotten out of our pajamas for nearly 36 hours.

Ziva's laying across the couch, propped up by a few pillow behind her back, her baby bump peeking out under the hem of her shirt. She's reading a book with her feet in my lap. I'm absently watching an Ohio State University college football game while stroking her feet.

I'm taken by complete surprise when she jumps.

"Tony!"

"What? What's wrong? What happened?"

"Lean over here, hurry."

I get up kneel on the floor in front of her.

"What?"

She silently takes my hand in hers and lays my palm across her distended belly.

"What is it?" I whisper for some reason.

"Just wait"

It takes a full minute in complete silence before I feel what I'm waiting for.

The tiny life beating inside my fiancée kicks my hand with such force I'm rethinking its gender.

My heart skips a beat and I feel another tiny kick beneath my hand.

My eyes snap up to hers and I smile.

"Is that what I think it is?" I ask.

"Yes, he or she is kicking. Can you believe it? That is our baby, Tony."

It's these words that turn my world upside down.

Our baby. Our real life, tiny little baby. Our baby with a beating heart and kicking his or her mother with its tiny little extremities.

It is in this moment the full weight of the little life to come hits me. I am finally truly, happy that I'm going to be a father.

In my almost giddy state I shout out "marry me! Please! Tomorrow. Let's go down to the court house and just do it! I promise you after the baby is born we can have a huge reception, we can re-say our vows, we can do whatever you want. Please I want to be married to you, RIGHT NOW!"

She narrows her eyes at me, just giving me "the look" "What's the sudden rush?"

"I want to have this baby as your husband. I don't want to have this baby with my partner, or my girlfriend, or my fiancée, I want to have this baby with my wife. I want to be your husband. I want everything to be perfect for you."

"You are perfect for me. I am in no rush, but if it is something you really want, we can get married tomorrow. You know I don't care about big weddings, honestly who would come aside from our co-workers?" She lets out a snort.

"Exactly, so who cares? Can we? And then maybe we can start looking into finding a 2 bedroom apartment."

She puts a palm to my cheek and smiles.

"Yes, let's get married tomorrow."

I lean in and kiss her right on the lips.


	3. Chapter 3

I'm panicking big time now.

If I thought proposing, or the prospect of being a father, or getting married was scary, actual child birth is just down right, utterly horrifying.

My heart dropped somewhere around the region of my ankles hours ago and I haven't felt it beat since.

I sneak out every once in a while and take a breather in the waiting room with McGee and Gibbs while Abby visits Ziva. Usually when I'm escaping to the waiting room I just sit in my chair and zone out.

I think about our so called wedding. It was just me and Ziva and a court house clerk. Gibbs was pissed when he found out and poor Abby was heartbroken. I had to reassure her many times we will be having a proper ceremony after the baby is born and she will definitely be there for that. Gibbs "invited me" *ah-hem. Grabbed me by my arm and forced me* into his office, aka the elevator, and head slapped me so hard I almost seen stars. He asked what the hell was wrong with me? Insisted for weeks that we eloped, and didn't consider anyone else. It took him almost 6 weeks to get over it. Luckily McGee was neutral about the whole thing. Just congratulated us and went about his business.

I think about the last almost 5 weeks, since the minute Gibbs chained Ziva to the desk, at nearly 35 weeks along. It drove her crazy not being able to do her job. She was huge (not that I would ever tell her that) and uncomfortable, and just over all miserable. This in turn made everyone else who encountered her miserable. We made it through though.

When I'm not in the waiting room, I alternate between walking the halls with Ziva and her I.V. pole, to hanging out in the room holding her hand and trying to do something to make myself useful.

Nothing I do seems to be useful.

I feel like absolute shit watching her in pain. She refuses to get an epidural and insists 'people have been doing this for thousands of years without drugs, let nature take its course'.

Like I said, she's stubborn, but I know my crazy ninja can do it.

She likes to sit in the chair by the window and just stare out of it completely oblivious to the world. She gets this far away look in her eyes, like her minds in another galaxy.

The pink and blue belts are wrapped around her belly monitoring our child's activity.

I see her curl her hands around the arms of the chair every few minutes in a death grip.

When this happens she closes her eyes and breaths deeply before staring out the window again.

With each contraction I try to whisper reminders to breathe through it and to try counting.

I try to make light conversation, ask her if I can get her some water or ice chips. She only glares at me and the phrase "if looks can kill" crosses my mind each time.

I won't admit it to anyone but I feel helpless. There is nothing I can do. We can't share this pain, I can't do anything, not to help her or our child and it's an awful feeling.

Before I can even process what's happening, Ziva's on the hospital bed pushing with all her might.

I stand by her side, trying to utter words of encouragement; she just tells me to shut the hell up and threatens me through clenched teeth.

Something about strangling me with the I.V. tubes or something.

I don't listen to a word she says and keep urging her on.

"Come on, Ninja! Push! You can do this!"

Next thing I know a screaming, wriggling, slightly bloody little person is deposited on Ziva's chest.

The baby is being rubbed down with blue blankets and I automatically think 'boy'. I watch as they suck out his nose and mouth, none to gently.

The poor thing continues to scream its protests.

I run my palm over Ziva's damp forehead, tucking her curls behind her ear.

"You did it. The baby's here, Ziva. You did it. I think it's a boy." I whisper to her.

She breathes out a sigh I can only take as relief as she looks down at our newly born infant screaming on her chest.

She looks back up at me and says "It's a girl, Tony. We have a daughter."

I only give one curt nod of my head as I try to keep the tears threatening to fall at bay. I feel my heart jolt back to life, beating double time, trying to make up for the time it spent in my ankles.

After my wife was all cleaned up and my daughter was cleaned and wrapped up, I made my way to the waiting room.

"Oh hey guys, what are you doing here?" I tease.

"Tooony! Is the baby here? Tell us! Tell us! Boy or Girl?" Abby was talking a mile a minute, bouncing up and down.

"Ummm…. I can't remember…." I put my hand to my chin and then scratch the side of my head. "If I remember correctly, it was a…..ummm…."

Abby punches me right in the chest.

"Okay, okay. IT'S A GIRL! Happy?" I can't contain the 'shit eaten grin' that plasters across my face.

I feel Abby crush me in a hug.

I shake Gibbs and McGee's hand's and feel a pat on the back before the four of us make our way back to see my two girls.

"Ziiiiiivaaaa" Abby squeals. "Congratulations!"

"Shhhh…" I chastise her. "If you don't mind, my daughter is sleeping."

That felt good to say.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwww" Abby croons instead. "What's her name?"

"Well, we chose Lilach for her first name, it's Hebrew, meaning, 'You are mine', but Tony's already taken to calling her Lily." Ziva tells her."It's already starting to stick and she's not even an hour old."

"Awwwww. Little Lily." I hear her whisper, probably to herself.

"You didn't ask what her middle name is Abby. Go ahead, ask." I urge her, trying not to smirk.

"What's Lily's middle name, Ziva?"

"Well, since I had more….. Input, on her first name, Tony got to pick her middle name."

"What is it, Tony?" She turns to me.

I wave my hand to her, beckoning her closer, like I'm going to tell her a secret.

I lead her over to the bassinet where my sleeping daughter lay within.

"Abby, I would like you to meet Lilach." I pause for dramatic effect. "aka, Lily" I pause again and cock my eyebrow at her. "Abigail." "DiNozzo."

Abby just bursts into tears and throws her arms around me.

I let her ball her eyes out into my chest before handing her off to McGee, I don't think she even noticed she was switched off.

Once the sun started to set that evening everyone started to filter out. They would kiss Ziva on the crown of her head, and shake my hand before peering in on Lily and making their exit.

Our first night as parents has begun.

Ziva picked Lily up around 8 and had her first attempt at breastfeeding.

It didn't go as well as Ziva would have liked but the lactation person assured her it would take time and practice.

Not long after that we were transferred up to the recovery floor. Ziva changed out of her hospital gown and into pajamas.

She changed Lily's diaper, and rocked her in the glider in our room while she hummed her a lullaby in Hebrew.

She laid her in her bassinette and promptly crawled into bed and fell asleep.

I kick off my shoes and flip through the T.V. stations, glancing over at Lily every once in a while to make sure she's still there, and not some kind of mirage.

I started dozing off in the chair when I was jerked out of my semi-conscious state by Lily screaming her lungs out.

My heart stopped for a second, something must be wrong for her to scream like that.

I have still avoided holding her to that point so the first thought that crossed my mind was _Shit. What do I do?_

"Ziva!" I try to whisper. "Ziva. Ziva, wake up."

All I get in response is snoring while the infant wails in her bassinette.

_Shit._

I cautiously walk over to her, her little fists balled up and flailing, her cheeks tinged pink.

"Shhhhhhh….. Lily, it's okay. Go back to sleep." I try.

No dice.

I take a deep breath and try to remember what I read about holding newborns.

I tenderly slipped one hand behind her head and the other on her lower back. I slowly lift her out of the bassinette and cradle her against my chest.

"Shhhhh… it's okay, Lily. Daddy's got you." I try rocking her slightly on the balls of my feet to comfort her.

After a little while she calms down and I lay her on her back in my left arm.

I can't believe how much she looks like Ziva. Her jet black hair, already trying to curl itself into ringlets. Even her nose, and her round little face is the spitting image of her mother.

Then Lily yawns and blinks her eyes open at me and I'm staring back into my own green eyes.

"Well, little lady, it looks like you got your daddy's eyes. You're welcome." I chuckle.

I slowly walk over to the glider and rock her back and forth while she just continues to stare up at me like I'm the most curious thing on earth.

I continue to talk to her about all sorts of things "….oh, and Jade. Wait until you meet her. She will love having a sister. She's our cat, you'll love her. Oh boy, I'm in trouble with all these girls in the house. I'm severely out numbered."

I apparently bored her back to sleep because her little eye lids fluttered shut. I could feel her warm weight in my arms as the breath whooshes in and out of her tiny body.

I tip toe back over to her bassinette and lay her inside before making my way to the bed and passing out fully clothed without even bothering to crawl under the covers.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The days in the hospital went by in a blur.

I took a full week off work, given nothing major came up.

Everything seemed to be pretty normal. Lily got her vaccinations and all her testing done. She was slightly jaundiced the second day we were there, but was cleared before we were discharged.

Poor Ziva was not having much luck with breastfeeding; I even had to supplement Lily with formula once or twice when Ziva looked ready to snap.

I can't blame her, she hasn't slept much, and that's more to the fact that the nurses just happen to choose to check her vitals as soon as she falls asleep, then anything else.

All in all, we make it out alive and well, my two girls with a clean bill of health. We were discharged on the evening of our third day there.

The car ride home was nerve racking. I drove at a snail's pace, while Ziva sat in the back with Lily.

We still haven't found, nor to be honest had the time to look for, a two bedroom apartment so we make our way up stairs to our one bedroom.

I carry the car seat up with a sleeping Lily while Ziva bounds slightly ahead to unlock the door.

"Oh! Home sweet sugar home. Finally" She says flopping down on the couch.

I just chuckle and kick the door closed behind me.

I place the car seat on the couch next to Ziva and start flipping lights on.

"Jade" I call out. "Jade, where are you?"

I see her green eyes reflecting the light down the hall.

"Come here Jade, I want you to meet someone."

She trots over and I scoop her up.

"Did McGoo come and feed you?" I ask scratching her behind the ears.

I walk back into the Living room and see Ziva removed Lily from her car seat and was holding her in her arms.

I put the car seat on the floor and sit down next to Ziva with Jade.

"Jade, this is your new sister Lily." I tell her, as the white cat cautiously steps off my lap and sniff's at the rosy cheeked baby wrapped in a purple blanket in Ziva's arms.

She didn't seem too impressed and leaped off the couch and disappeared back down the hall.

"Let's put her down, Ziva. You need rest, and she's sleeping."

She breathes out a sigh "okay" she cradles the baby's head in her right hand and her bottom in her left and lifts her to me.

I cautiously take Lily from her and bring her into our room, placing her gently in her bassinette.

I still get nervous holding her, but as each day goes by I get less and less nervous.

I pad back out into the living room and pull Ziva up. I slip an arm around her waist and lead her to the room.

Her hair is curly and wild and she looks exhausted.

She kicks her shoes off and crawls under the covers in her clothes.

I kiss her on her temple before making my way back out to the living room.

I lock the door, shake some dry food in Jades cat food bowl, rinse out her water bowl and give her fresh water.

I take a quick shower, towel off and put on some dry boxer shorts.

Take one final scan around the apartment before flipping out the lights, my own exhaustion catch up to me.

2am came way too quickly. Lily woke us both up with her demands to be fed. Ziva tried, yet again, with little luck to breastfeed her. Apparently Lily got enough out of the ordeal however and fell back asleep.

Then 2:45am came and she was screaming again.

"Uggggh" Ziva groaned. "We will never get any sleep at this rate. She isn't eating enough."

"Maybe we should just try giving her formula Ziva? Just for now, until we get the hang of the breastfeeding thing. Maybe she'll sleep better?"

She just nods her head and rubs her palms in her sleepy eyes. She sits up and puts her feet off the side of the bed.

"Ziva, give me 2 minutes to make her bottle and you go back to sleep. You hear me?"

She just nods and pads her way over to Lily's bassinette while I make my way to the kitchen.

I read and re-read the instructions for the formula. I mean, it should be the simplest thing in the world, but no. It's the powdered kind, so many ounces of water, needs so many scoops of formula.

I figure it out, with my super investigator skills, shake the bottle up and pop it in the microwave for a couple of seconds to warm it up.

I shake it again and test the temperature on my wrist.

Everything seems honkey dory.

I make my way back to the room to Ziva trying to rock a screaming Lily.

"Ziva, give her to me, go to sleep."

"Thank you, Tony. I am so tiered." She says as she hands Lily to me and stumbles back over to the bed.

I sit down in the old wooden rocking chair and stick the bottle in Lily's mouth. She instantly stops crying and sucks on the nipple like it's a lifeline.

"Whoa. Slow down little girl, you're going to get a tummy ache."I comment as I start rocking us back and forth.

My eyes feel heavy but I manage to feed Lily her whole bottle. Attempt to burp her, even though I don't think I did it right.

After her bottle she fell right back to sleep so I lay her back down and crawl into bed with Ziva.

I'm out like a light before my head even hits my pillow.

Then 4am hits.

Lily's crying again.

It's my turn to groan this time.

"Uggggh. Won't she ever sleep?"

"With time. I hope." Ziva comments.

She gets up and picks Lily up.

"Tony, did you change her diaper? She's soaked through her jammies."

"What? No. Was I supposed to?"

"Well, it would have been something to consider."

"I've never changed a diaper before! Especially a little girl diaper. Especially a little girl diaper in the middle of the night, in the dark!" I try to justify.

I hear a small sigh escape her. "Don't worry about it, Tony. I will do it. Go back to sleep."

I lay my head back down as Lily continues her cries.

I hear Ziva unzip her P.J.'s and then I hear Velcro and some rustling.

Last thing I remember was the sound of a quiet baby and a zipper being pulled up before I was dragged to dreamland.

The next time Lily woke it was nearly 6am. An almost reasonable, acceptable time to be awake, you know, for a person that hasn't been awake half the night.

My eyes open and I squint into the semi-darkness of the room. There was a soft bluish hue to the room. Not yet enough light for the orange glow of dawn.

I rub my right hand over my face, pick Lily up and bring her out of the room. Somehow Ziva didn't wake this time.

I put her in her little travel size swing, and make my way into the kitchen. I go to the sink and splash some water on my face before making yet another bottle. This time with much more accuracy and ability.

It was made, warmed and in her mouth in under a minute.

She sucked that bottle down like nothing, and she was obviously wide awake.

Great.

I try again to burp her, but I can't just bring myself to pat her back hard enough to get the bubbles out.

I suppose it was classified more as a hiccup then a burp, but she wasn't complaining.

I put her back in her little swing and turn it on for her so it went back and forth by itself, not to mention the little orange and red plastic fish "swimming" around above her head for entertainment purposes.

I go back to the kitchen and start a pot of coffee. I can only pray that it brews fast.

I go back into the living room and see Jade has made an appearance. She doesn't look too happy.

"Sorry, Jade. New baby. She'll sleep. Eventually."

I sit on the couch and flip on the news.

Jade curls up next to my thigh and I rub her back absently while watching, but not really taking in, the news.

Within' a few minutes my coffee is ready and I chug down two mugfull's as fast as I can without scorching my throat.

I turn the coffee maker off while I fill my mug up for a third time.

As soon as I sit down Jade hops off the couch and makes her way over to the little swing, going back and forth.

She seemed semi interested. Tried to sniff at the baby again but couldn't really get a good whiff with the swing going back and forth, back and forth.

Jade gave up and slinked back out of the room.

After a while Lily started fussing a bit. I pick her up again and felt she soaked through her jammies again.

_Crap. I'm going to have to change her diaper._

I've read about this. It's going to be fine. It's just some Velcro strapie things and cotton type material. I can do it. Even if it is little girl parts.

I take Lily in the room with me. Use one hand to hold her in place on my shoulder while I use the free hand to grab a diaper and the tub of wipes.

I take her back out in the living room and lay her on her back on the couch.

"Okay now Lily. Give your old man a break here, okay? Don't pee on me, and tell me if I'm doing this wrong? Deal?"

I unzip her jammies and toss them on the floor.

I pay close attention to which way the tab things go before undoing them and removing her diaper.

I tried wiping her off best I could. I'm not sure how you're supposed to wipe girl parts, and I certainly didn't want to do it too hard. It was acceptable though. I even wiped her belly, avoiding her umbilical cord, and her thighs for good measure.

I grab the fresh diaper and had my first attempt at putting it on the right way.

I almost got it right the first time too. Except, I put it on backwards, and didn't realize it until I started to try pulling the tabs towards her back and not towards her belly.

I flipped it around and got it right on my second try.

Not too shabby.

I put her back in her swing and throw her drenched diaper away and toss her jammies in the hamper.

I grab a little body suit thing, that I think is called a onsie, socks, a hat and a blanket before padding my way back out to the living room.

I pick Lily back up and lay her on the couch as I attempt to dress her for the first time (Lot's of firsts this morning). She did fine with the socks and the hat but started screaming again when I tried pulling her body suit, onsie, over her head (_maybe I should have put the hat on after I put the onsie on?)._

In the end, she was all snapped up and semi cozy looking.

I pick her up and lie out on the couch and place her on my chest. I drape her purple and green butterfly blanket over her, which covers some of me as well.

My untouched coffee had turned cold and was sitting on the coffee table while I try to take in the news. I feel little Lily's chest rise and fall with my own. Only hers is far more rapid than mine, her tiny lungs working to keep up with mine.

I'm regretting the coffee now. Lily fell back asleep on my chest a little after 7:30 and I would love to go back to sleep but I know that's not happening with the caffeine flowing through me.

I dare not move for waking her, so I just lounge on the couch, one arm tucked behind my head watching the same news loop for the third time, while my free hand rests on Lily's back. Sometimes I make small circles with my thumb.

Ziva doesn't stumble out of the room until right before 10am. She's still dressed in her clothes from yesterday.

"What time is it?" She asks.

I lift my head and look at the wall clock. "9:58 to be exact."

"I can't believe I slept this late. What time did you get up?"

"Oh I don't know, 5:30-6ish."

" Do you want to go to sleep?" She asks. "I can take over."

"Nah. She's sleeping. You can have her when she gets up."

"Okay, I'm going to go get a shower then. I haven't had a proper shower, I feel, in days."

"Have fun" I smile at her.

Within about 20 minutes, Lily starts wiggling her little body and rooting for some food.

I sit up with her and hear a couple vertebrae in my back crack.

"Oh, that felt good" I utter aloud.

I get up and put her in her swing again turning it back on, before I stretch my arms in the air and crack the rest of my back.

I hear the water in the bathroom turn off just as I start getting Lily's bottle ready.

I add the powdered formula and start to shake it up before Lily starts her wailing again.

"Ziva!" I shout. "Lily's ready to be fed, am I doing it or are you doing it?"

"I want to do it!" I hear a muffled call back in return.

"Well then you better hurry up."

I mic the bottle for a few seconds, and shake it up again before testing the temperature on my wrist.

I see Ziva come rushing out of the room with still damp hair in just a big tee-shirt and sweatpants.

"Wow! You look so sexy." I nudge her and kiss her forehead.

"Here's her bottle. She seems to be eating 3 oz every 3 hours or so."

My heartstrings are being tested as Lily continues to wail her demands to be fed.

"What?" I ask at Ziva's long face.

"I wanted to try breastfeeding again."

"Oh."

"It's ok, you already made the bottle."

"No, we can just put it in the fridge for later. Go."

She stops Lily's swing and lifts her up.

Make's her way over to the couch and lifts her shirt up over her left breast and tries to get Lily to latch on.

I turn back to the kitchen and stick the bottle in the fridge before I get Jade new water.

I finally am able to go to the bathroom, and I wash my face.

I put on some basketball shorts and make my way back into the living room to a squirming Lily and Ziva trying to talk to her in Hebrew.

"Come on Lilach, please. You need to eat." I hear her switch up languages.

"Still not having much luck?" I ask.

She snaps her eyes up to me in a death glare.

I put my hands up on mock surrender "Whoa. I was just asking."

"Tony, I don't know what I am doing wrong. Why won't she eat?"

"I don't know Ziva. It takes practice I guess."

I hear her sigh and turn back to our daughter, as she continues to try to get her to latch.

"If she would quit squirming, it may be easier." I try to suggest.

"Oh my god, Tony! Why didn't I think of that? Where's her blanket?"

"I had it with me on the couch." I state as I scan the room.

I see it in her swing, so I go over and pick it up.

"Can you lay it out flat please?" She asks.

I do so.

She places Lily in the center of the blanket and folds the corners all around her so she can't really move too much.

Swaddling I think it's called.

Ziva picks her up again and uses her right hand to cradle Lily's head against her left breast. This time she takes to it like a duck to water.

She suckles hungrily as Ziva lets out another sigh.

"See, you did it!" I comment.

She just smiles up at me in victory.

"Thank you for everything Tony. I feel much more refreshed."

"No problem, sweet cheeks." I sit down next to my girls, prop my feet up on the coffee table and start flipping through the channels. I can't watch another second of the news.

Jade decides to grace us with her presence and hops up on the couch next to me. I rub her head and she curls up next to my thigh.

I start to pet her on her side before my head falls back against the back of the couch and my eyes close of their own accord.


End file.
